


Hall of the Slain

by coco_anana



Category: The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: F/M, Friendship, Gen, Post-Endgame
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-19
Updated: 2021-02-19
Packaged: 2021-03-14 17:02:32
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 548
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29545560
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/coco_anana/pseuds/coco_anana
Summary: Chosen by Odin, half of those who die in combat travel to Valhalla upon death.
Relationships: Loki/Natasha Romanov
Comments: 1
Kudos: 18





	Hall of the Slain

The first thing that Natasha is aware of is the light. Once her eyes adjust to the brightness, she sees vibrant green grass and blue skies disappearing into the ocean. She can hear the waves crashing far down the cliff. The sun feels warm on her face and the wind brings the scent of the ocean and wild flowers. It is such a contrast from her last memory--a red barred world, jumping and darkness--that it takes her a moment to make sense of what she is seeing. Heaven? No, that didn’t seem right for someone like her. Purgatory, yes. Hell, maybe. Heaven, no. Not yet. There was still red in her ledger. 

“Well, hello there little spider.” The voice is smooth, sensual, and familiar. 

“There are not many people that can sneak up on me.” She can feel a smile tugging at her lips as she slowly turns around to face him. It seems apropos she would see him now. Who better to guide a spy in her death and afterlife than the God of Lies? 

“I figured you’d come.” His eyes travel up and down her body slowly and then to her eyes. “Of course, you couldn’t only jump, but fight for the chance to give up your life for that human.”

“I owed him a debt.”

He snorts and rolls his eyes. “Which you more than repaid when you didn’t hunt him down and killed him in those five years after the blip. You should have just let him die and lived your own life free of debt.”

She arches an eyebrow at that. “Didn’t you sacrifice yourself to save your brother? I was told it was quite heroic, going after Thanos knowing you couldn’t win, just so Thor and your people would have the chance to live.”

“I had red in my ledger. I wanted to wipe it out.” His smile matches her own: sardonic, and just a little self-deprecating. 

“So when does the fun start?”

“Fun?”

“Torture, chains, fire, and all that”

“There is no torture here unless you speak of happening to see Volstagg eat.” He shuddered as if the mere idea repulsed him. “We are in Valhalla, little spider. Welcome to the Hall of the Slain, Natasha Romanov”. 

He bowed at her like an actor in a Shakespeare play. Behind him, far in the distance she saw what had to be the most beautiful tree she had ever seen. It’s leaves were gold and red and they shone like jewels in the sunlight.  
“How is that possible? I’m not Asgardian”

“You died in combat. Your death saved Asgard. You were deemed worthy” 

“And so were you.” She says it as a statement and not a question, and she sees the surprise in his eyes at that. She wasn’t lying when she said she heard the tale of his death though. When push came to shove, he stood up for his people and he died so others could live. She had to believe that redemption was possible. It was the one belief that held her together after the Red Room and that saw her through everything. We all deserve another chance. 

And so the Spider and the Trickster walk together into the next great adventure. 

*

*

*

Loki and Black Widow will return


End file.
